OpenAI Pitched White House On Unprecedented Data Center Buildout (yahoo.com)
- Reference: 0175132201
- News link: https://yro.slashdot.org/story/24/09/25/1853232/openai-pitched-white-house-on-unprecedented-data-center-buildout
- Source link: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/openai-pitched-white-house-unprecedented-000550020.html
> OpenAI has pitched the Biden administration on the need for massive data centers that could each use as much power as entire cities, framing the unprecedented expansion as necessary to develop more advanced artificial intelligence models and compete with China. Following a recent meeting at the White House, which was attended by OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman and other tech leaders, the startup shared a document with government officials [1]outlining the economic and national security benefits of building 5-gigawatt data centers in various US states , based on an analysis the company engaged with outside experts on. To put that in context, 5 gigawatts is roughly the equivalent of five nuclear reactors, or enough to power almost 3 million homes. OpenAI said investing in these facilities would result in tens of thousands of new jobs, boost the gross domestic product and ensure the US can maintain its lead in AI development, according to the document, which was viewed by Bloomberg News. To achieve that, however, the US needs policies that support greater data center capacity, the document said.
"Whatever we're talking about is not only something that's never been done, but I don't believe it's feasible as an engineer, as somebody who grew up in this," said Joe Dominguez, CEO of Constellation Energy Corp. "It's certainly not possible under a timeframe that's going to address national security and timing."
[1] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/openai-pitched-white-house-unprecedented-000550020.html
Re: (Score:2)
You first.
Mind Boggling (Score:2)
It is mind boggling how these people can just throw such numbers around. Even if each server pulled 1kw, 5GW is 5,000,000 servers. Really? I hope someone explains that to the Biden administration before they say "Yay! More jobs!"
Diminishing returns (Score:2)
Dumping compute on hallucinations isn't going to be very helpful. Focus more on data labelling, templates, things like that.
We need an AI moonshot! (Score:2)
We don't want to fall behind China. The US government needs to dump money in OpenAI. Even better, with five AI centers, Congress gets to argue about whose states get the data center boondoggles.
Absolute farking insanity (Score:2)
The thing that is hallucinating here is Sam. He thinks we only have a thousand days or so before our AI overlords arrive, and he wants to have more AI temples in the US than anyplace else. Nothing like the true believer to evangelize/proselytize.
For perspective... (Score:3)
The Vogtle reactors, Units 3 and 4, are the 2 newest units in the US. They were marred by horrible cost overruns (including $3.7B paid to the original construction contractor to **walk away** from the project), totaling a little over $34B for 2,234MW of electricity.
Of course, that's first of a kind rollout. So let's say you could reduce those costs by 50%. You're still looking at an installation cost of $7.6M per megawatt of electricity.
The site permit was first applied for in 2006, and Unit 3 was connected to the grid on April 1, 2023 - seventeen years from permit application to juice-on-the-grid. Even if you reduce THAT by 2/3 (which is laughably optimistic), you're still looking at 6 years out. I think that's way beyond the time horizon that OpenAI can even think about - for 1 GW of electricity, let alone 5.
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Your high level analysis of the Vogtle debacle is approximately correct. However, I do not think that is what the data center industry is talking about when they reference nuclear power.
[1]SMR [iaea.org] aka Small Modular Reactors are the talk of the town in data center circles today. An example would be the new units from [2]NuScale Power. [nuscalepower.com] Theoretically these can be placed in a 3-5 year timeline, maybe faster if production was ramped up.
The general idea is to have a number of 50-300MW reactors on-site. There's big win
[1] https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/what-are-small-modular-reactors-smrs
[2] https://www.nuscalepower.com/en
found you 1.2 Gw and later more (Score:2)
Vogtles is down for repairs. The people have must have found substitute power. When it comes back up divert all the power to datacenters. This plan can work for any reactor that has unplanned down time as well. [1]https://www.ajc.com/news/busin... [ajc.com]
[1] https://www.ajc.com/news/business/one-of-plant-vogtles-new-reactors-has-been-offline-for-a-week-heres-why/T3IN2O5BBNDCNA3TPBGDWIJ5RA/
5-gigawatt data centers (Score:2)
in my day, 1.21 gw used to be enough for hallucinations
Just build cities... (Score:2)
How many jobs would be created by building a city with 3 million homes?
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just build homes, they are in short supply so win win
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A) Where would you like these homes to miraculously sprout from? Land is getting scarce. Even less so for 3 million homes. And no, we do not have lots of land to build on unless you're talking about farm land. The East Coast and inland is quickly running out of land to build on without sacrificing farm land (and orchards). Also, every time you cut down trees to make room for a home you are helping to increase the atmospheric temperature through heat coming off roofs, driveways, and roads plus the lack of
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Dude there's plenty of land at the peripheries of most cities. You're making up stuff. Why can't they clear land and build ultra low cost housing cabins with solar heating? Spend about $2K per. Provide free wifi (so people have access to upgrade their skills) and basic meals (beans, rice, and water) .. make it free to use for anyone. Any criminal activity results in jail or mental institute. I don't see this having an annual operating cost of more than $5k per cabin and a one-time capital cost of $10k (this
Meth Star (Score:2)
Since throwing away 3GDPs for no conceivable benefit is on the table, I say we seize this opportunity to build out the 10TW or whatever of electrical capacity that he's requesting... and then just give people free electricity. Too cheap to meter! A chicken in every pot! Forty acres, etc.
Economically unsound? You betcha! We'd all still be better off, though.
How about "no" (Score:2)
How about we tell Sam "no", that's not in the federal government's mandate. If he as the CEO of a private company wants to waste his own money, then go for it ... with electricity at full rates (no discounts). We don't need AI that badly and it's not going to create thousands of jobs (that's a ploy, or maybe scam is the better word).
hallucinations (Score:3)
Because hallucinations do not scale.
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Mod parent Funny but today I already repeated the joke about the 35W PoC, so I'm not going to write it again here.
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Their solution to this is to have AI check the AI. The blind leading the blind.
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I guess the Biden admin needs to decide the priority....EVs and their charging needs...or these super city sized energy drains for national security.
I think they may need to pick one.....
Or, can someone tell me what part(s) of the country are set up to support both?